Del Walker Classic
Cal Poly Captures Del Walker Classic for First Team Title in Three Years
3/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
LONG BEACH, Calif. – The men's team of Cal Poly's Swanson Golf Program captured its first team championship in three years Tuesday, edging host Long Beach State by one stroke in the Del Walker Classic at the Virginia Country Club.
Coach Scott Cartwright's Mustangs posted a four-person final-round 282 for a 54-hole two-under-par 838 total, the second-lowest aggregate in program history and missing the school mark by 11 strokes.
Long Beach State carded a final-round 281 for a one-under-par 839 total. The Mustangs and 49ers were the only teams to finish under par in the 12-team tournament.
"I am very proud of the guys this week," said Cartwright. "This is a very talented group of men and it's nice to see them prove to themselves that they are that good."
Four Mustangs finished in the top 15, led by junior Cole Nygren, who carded a final-round 72 for a one-under-par 209 total and a tie for fifth place with three other golfers. Nygren's total shattered his career best by five strokes.
Justin De Los Santos, also a junior and the reigning Big West Conference individual champion, posted a 70 for an even-par 210 total and a ninth-place with another trio of golfers. The 70 was his 31st round of par or better as a Mustang and his 66 in Monday's second round equalled his career best.
"I knew we had a talented team and we just had to get it done," said De Los Santos. "I'm glad we stayed together and did it."
Senior Jordan Wright and sophomore Jesse Yap finished tied for 13th place with John McCord of Redlands, all with one-over-par 211 totals. Wright and Yap both recorded 71s Tuesday and Yap's 211 total equaled his career high.
Sophomore Jimmy Castles finished in a tie for 17th place, giving Cal Poly five top-20 finishers. Castles carded a 70 for a 213 total.
Competing as an individual, sophomore Nick Engelhardt just missed the top 20, placing in a tie for 22nd place with a final-round 70 for a 215 aggregate.
Yap finished second in par-3 scoring with an even-par 3.00 average while Wright and De Los Santos shared fifth place in par-5 scoring with four-under-par 4.33 averages. Nygren was fourth with his 12 birdies and De Los Santos was sixth with 38 pars.
Michael Chen of Long Beach State claimed the individual title by six strokes with his nine-under-par 201 total after a round of 69 Tuesday. Matt Wilson of Cal State Fullerton and Connor Campbell of Loyola Marymount shared second place with 207 totals. Campbell posted a final-round 65 and Wilson a 67.
Cal Poly returns to action March 21-22 at the Oregon State Beaver Classic, to be held at the Trysting Tree Golf Course in Corvallis, Oregon.
